


Sensations

by jordypordy



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Cloti - Freeform, Cloud has a touch sensitivity in this, Cloud is a bottom you can't change my mind, F/M, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, I really suck at tagging, Oh and Tifa wears her thigh highs, Shameless Smut, Smut, This took 3 weeks to write so I'm sorry if the quality is all over the place, Well he's a bottom most of the time, fem top, it's neat i promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:55:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25254208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jordypordy/pseuds/jordypordy
Summary: When Cloud gets wounded, Tifa has no choice but to heal him. Little does she know that her touch is what he craves most of all.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 22
Kudos: 174





	Sensations

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to the Final Heaven discord server. You're all great and I don't think I would have finished this without the residents of Sector 69 responding so well to my snippets.

The first time she touched him, it was a complete accident. She had handed him a drink and their fingers brushed together. Cloud, on instinct, inhaled sharply and pulled away, sending the glass crashing onto the bar counter. Tifa had cocked her head to the side, curious but not expecting an explanation, although he knew she wished for one. Awkwardly, he had stood up, mumbled an apology and left the bar, leaving a mess on the counter. 

Even through his gloved hand, her touch had felt like a bolt of lightning. It was hot and searing- painfully pleasant. As he stepped out of the bar and into the heart of the Sector 7 slums, he had shaken his hand desperately trying to get the weird numbingly good sensation out. Of course, as a SOLDIER, he had been aware of the enhancements to his sense that the mako had thrust upon him. A sensitivity to touch was to be expected. But never before had it felt so… good? 

Most surprising to him though, was that when it happened again it had somehow felt even _better_. He had been helping Tifa unpack a delivery of supplies to the bar and, once again, their fingers had brushed up against each other as he handed a box of wine to her. That white-hot, tingling, fantastic sensation zipped through his arm again. For a moment, his mind went completely blank and he felt his face heat up. Tifa’s concerned voice had snapped him back to reality. “Cloud, are you okay?”

“Huh?” He was honestly worried she would be able to hear his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest.

“You made a weird noise, just making sure you’re not hurt or anything. We can take a break if you need to.”

A weird noise? _Oh god._ Cloud had let go of the box and pretended to busy himself with something else in the cellar. He couldn’t show Tifa his face now. He had _moaned_ at her touch. Neither of them were wearing their combat gloves, which explains why the sensation was so much more intense. But to moan in pleasure? He had actually wanted to die.

From then on, he actively tried to avoid being in close proximity to her for too long, as to avoid uncomfortable situations. But even then, it wasn’t enough. Their shoulders would brush against each other or she would catch him when he fell during a fight. The pleasant sensation didn’t happen every time they touched, and never happened when Cloud touched her first, but when it did, it hit him like a damn truck. It was especially bad when it happened when fighting the likes of a Gorger or Wererat because his mind would instantly wander and distract him from the fight. Holy _damn_ did it feel good and he wanted her to hold him close and touch him more- touch him _everywhere._

Cloud’s eyes shot open as he sat up in his bed. He brought a hand to his forehead, slapping it in embarrassment, teeth gritted in annoyance. These thoughts about Tifa were getting out of hand. They weren’t necessarily new, but since that first electrifying touch, they’ve grown more and more pervasive and intense. He often found himself staring at her, envious of how easily she smiled and laughed when talking to the likes of Jessie or Barret. Jealousy pained his heart- why couldn’t they talk like that? He had been in Midgar for well over two months now and he still felt like he couldn’t talk openly with her. He stiffened- was it his fault?

He ran his hand through his hair idly and sighed as he stood up in his small, dark apartment. He couldn’t allow himself to linger on stuff like that. The people of Sector 7 needed him and to allow himself to be distracted by his… unnecessary feelings for a friend (feelings that he had shamefully indulged himself in using nothing but his hand and imagination on numerous occasions) could potentially be deadly for a mercenary. But as he went about his morning routine, he couldn’t get the image of Tifa out of his brain. Her beaming smile, her angelic laugh, the way she bites her bottom lip when she’s nervous or deep in thought. Not to mention her vibrant hair that’s probably softer than he could imagine, her wine-colored eyes that he could easily get lost in or the tantalizing way she swings her hips. The fact that she could easily destroy him in a competition of hand-to-hand combat was also a major turn on, but Cloud would never admit it. 

Staring at himself in the mirror as he brushed his hair, Cloud realized his cheeks had turned pink as he thought about his friend. He once again slapped his forehead and rubbed his hand down his face, feeling the skin stretch beneath his palm. “It’s only because you’re meeting her for breakfast,” he told himself. Of course, they met up for breakfast multiple times a week so it wasn’t _really_ a good excuse but it was an excuse enough for him.

Grabbing his sword and attaching it to the magnetic strap on the back of his uniform, he exited room 202 of Stargazer Heights. He smiled as the artificial sunlight of Midgar alit his face; his breakfasts with Tifa have become something he genuinely looked forward to. Since he arrived in the city, a feeling of something lost has been plaguing him and his meetings with Tifa had been filling those gaps in. 

A sudden, sharp pain ripped through his skull. Groaning in agony, he grabbed his forehead and stepped back, accidentally bumping his head against the metal door behind him. The pain only lasted a split second, as they always do, but it felt like his headaches were gradually increasing in intensity. Cloud had no idea what triggered them, but the more frequently they occurred, the more annoyed he got.

Gripping the guardrail in front of him, he exhaled sharply through his nose as he steadied himself. Better here than in front of Tifa, right? Trailing his palm over the bumpy, rusted metal of the guardrail, he started down the stairs into the heart of the Sector 7 slums.

* * *

Cloud’s generally good mood dipped immediately as he opened the doors to Seventh Heaven. “What are _you_ guys doing here?” He huffed in annoyance. 

Barret set his glass down and turned to Cloud, a deep laugh emanating from him. “Well good morning to you too, spikey.” A chorus of “good morning” and “hey, Cloud!” erupted from the other members of Avalanche, who were sitting at the same table as Barret. Marlene was sitting on his lap, and she turned, waved, and smiled at Cloud. Everyone was here except for the person he _actually_ wanted to see. Resigning himself to his new fate, he closed the door behind him and took a seat at the table with the others. 

“Where’s Tifa?” he asked as he reached for a piece of toast from the center of the table. Breakfast wasn’t exactly served yet, but Tifa had left toast (and toppings), fruits, and donuts for her guests to snack on while they waited. 

Jessie instantly beamed and turned to Biggs. “Ha!” she laughed, causing Cloud to raise a brow. “Told ya! Now pay up.” She took a swig from her glass as if it was alcohol, but it was nothing more than orange juice. 

Biggs began digging into his pocket, shaking his head back and forth but chucking. Pulling out a small handful of gil, he placed it into Jessie’s open palm. “Fine, fine. You win fair and square.”

Noticing the questions that lined Cloud’s face, Wedge swallowed the food in his mouth and explained with a smile. “They made a bet that you would immediately ask where Tifa is,” he laughed. “Looks like Jessie won!”

_Uhg._ Cloud rolled his eyes and took a bite out of the toast in his hand. Choosing to ignore the antics of Tifa’s friends, he repeated his first question. “Again, what are you guys doing here?” To say he was annoyed would be an understatement. The mornings where he and Tifa meet had grown to become special to him. This was _their_ time together. Alone. Without these idiots to get in the way of the two of them. 

“We decided on our next target last night,” Barret explained. “It was too late to celebrate then so we’re doing so this morning.” He smiled down at Marlene and passed her a small cup of apple juice. 

Cloud stifled a sigh and leaned back in his chair. She could have at least told him. “Okay, and Tifa?”

“She’s downstairs doing some stuff in the base.” Wedge said between mouthfuls of donuts. “She’ll be back up in a bit.”

A tiny giggle from Barret’s lap made Cloud turn his head. “You wanna say something, baby girl?” Barret asked, his eyes softening as he dipped his head down to look at his daughter. Marlene’s eyes lit up as she turned towards the blond mercenary. He was rather surprised, but in thinking about it he realized she had probably just gotten used to his presence in the bar. He was no longer a stranger, after all. 

“Cloud just looks really happy when he talks about Tifa,” she explained. Looking Cloud directly in the eyes, her next question nearly made him fall out of his chair. With a tilt to her head, she innocently asked “Are you in love with her?”

Cloud instantly felt his face heat up as his companions at the table burst into laughter. To his surprise however, he heard Barret quietly reprimanding her for asking such a personal question. Unfortunately, the other members of Avalanche grasped onto the question like it was water in a desert. 

“Well, Cloud?” Jessie hummed as she leaned an elbow on the table towards him. She had a mischievous smile across her face. “You can’t just ignore a little girl’s question.”

Averting his gaze, Cloud mumbled “I don’t have to answer anything.”

His red face grew even hotter when Biggs spoke up. “We’ve all seen the way you look at her, Cloud,” he grinned. “You look at her the same way Jessie looks at you.” He started to laugh, but was smacked by the aforementioned woman. Biggs was then met by glares from both Cloud and Jessie, but Cloud refused to acknowledge what he had said any further. Wedge’s belly laugh danced in Cloud’s ears. 

“If it makes ya feel any better,” Barret started, “she looks at you the same way.” He started to chuckle as he bit into an apple. Cloud hated how those words made his heart flutter- was he telling the truth? Or was he just messing with him?

Before the conversation could continue any further, the mechanical whirring of the hidden elevator echoed in the bar. Marlene jumped out of her father’s lap as Tifa emerged with the pinball table and wrapped her arms around the older woman’s legs. “Tifa!” She yelled in excitement. 

Tifa’s giggles sounded like heaven and it took an insane amount of self-control to not simply stare at her radiant smile. Just seeing her put him at ease- her mere presence had an immediate calming effect on him. His gaze followed her as she stepped behind the bar, not even registering what she was saying. Cloud felt a smile creep across his face as he said hello, and he couldn’t ignore the butterflies in his stomach as her red eyes met blue.

The conversation had thankfully moved on from Marlene’s question- Wedge had excitedly asked what Tifa had planned for their stomachs- but as she began to stir the pancake mix in a bowl he couldn’t get the little girl’s inquiry out of his head.

* * *

Cloud kicked himself mentally as he shambled back through the gate leading to the slums from Scrap Boulevard. He had _known_ he was distracted but he still felt compelled to take on a high- risk job. Another one of those damn Shinra mutts had shown up again and the neighborhood watch had basically begged him to take care of it before it hurt anyone. He may have a heart of stone, but it’s still a heart.

And now as he ignored the thanks and questions of concern from the gate guards, he cursed himself out for allowing the dog to get so close. It had gotten a strong bite on his side and multiple scratches down his back. And holy hell, did it hurt. He furrowed his brow and hissed every time the Buster Sword so much as tapped his body. All he needed to do was get home, chug some potions, and sleep. 

He was about to make the turn towards the apartment complex when a familiar voice caught him off guard. “Cloud!?” 

Stopping in his tracks, Cloud turned his head to see Tifa running towards him, concern lining her face. _Oh no_.

He blinked and she was right in front of him, eyeing him up and down. “What on Gaia happened?” Without thinking, she grabbed his arm and raised it to inspect the wounds that marred it. Cloud flinched and pulled away- this time her touch felt like a thousand tiny needles and it _hurt_. Tifa let go immediately as Cloud gasped in pain. He was mad at her, but only for a moment. It was true that she knew he detested being touched without permission, but his rage simmered down when he saw the fear in her eyes. She was only worried about him. Steeling himself, he raised his arm towards her, silently granting her permission to touch him.

Gently, and somewhat cautiously, Tifa grabbed hold of his arm again. It still hurt like hell, but Cloud tried his best not to show it. “What happened?” She repeated, her voice soft and worried.

_I was thinking about you_ , Cloud thought. He could never tell her that though. 

To his surprise, Tifa’s hand slid down the length of his arm and came to a stop at his wrist. She grabbed it and tugged, wordlessly urging him to follow. Without protest, he complied. 

It didn’t take long for him to realize they were headed for the neighborhood watch headquarters, but he couldn’t fathom why. Almost as if she could read his mind, she glanced at him and smiled. “There’s an infirmary next door to the main room.” She paused for a moment before adding, “Marle would kill me if she knew I let you go fight something by yourself.” That confused Cloud; why would Marle care about what happened to him?

The walk to the neighborhood watch was short, but took significantly longer than usual due to Cloud’s condition. He was astutely aware of the jealous glares he was receiving from the men on the street as they passed by. He would occasionally shoot mako enhanced, SOLDIER style glares back if he overheard someone saying unsavory things about the barmaid (who thankfully did not have hypersensitive hearing like him) but otherwise he relished in the jealousy of them. 

They made their way past the weapon’s peddler and up the stairs of the old industrial building. Next to the main entrance to the neighborhood watch, there was another rusted door Cloud had somehow never noticed. With little effort, Tifa pulled it open and ushered Cloud inside. 

“Infirmary” was probably a bit too kind of a word to describe the interior. There was a bed with an IV bag next to it. Crates of varying sizes littered the floor. On the back wall was a large sink with shelves holding potions, bandages and other medical supplies hanging above it. For a reason he couldn’t identify, being surrounded by medical supplies caused his heart to seize with anxiety. He pushed the feeling aside as Tifa closed the door behind them; he placed the Buster Sword against a wall and took a seat on a crate. His companion flipped on a light and sat on a crate opposite of him. 

“...Another one of those Shinra lab dogs showed up in Scrap Boulevard,” Cloud began to answer Tifa’s previous questions. He could see the slight rage in her eyes as he spoke; knowing he was about to get lectured for facing such a difficult opponent solo he quickly added “You were busy celebrating with the others and it was too risky to leave it alone for too long.” It was a partial truth at the very least. He had been hoping to avoid her for the rest of the day to allow Marlene’s question to fade from his mind, but he truly did feel the need to get rid of the hound as quickly as possible.

The quiet anger in her carmine eyes dissipated and she sighed. “It’s still unlike you to get this beat up…” Her eyes trailed his body. They were silent for a few brief moments. Cloud knew she was hoping for further explanation, but there was no way she was getting one. At least not this time. “I wish you would have asked for help. Where does it hurt the most?”

“It got my back and my side really good.” Cloud told her. 

His eyes followed her as she nodded, stood up, and pulled a crate behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Tifa sit down. “Okay,” she said confidently, “take your shirt off.”

Cloud’s eyes widened and he stuttered his words. “ _W-what?”_ Why on Gaia would she say that?

Tifa scoffed. “Don’t be getting any ideas. I just need to see your wounds is all.”

Oh. Right. Of _course_ she would need to see his injuries. The blond mentally slapped himself for letting his mind wander to such places. Trying to ignore his rapidly increasing heart rate, Cloud stood up and unstrapped the leather on his upper body. Placing his pauldron to the floor, he also removed his harness and SOLDIER insignia belt. He placed them carefully on a crate nearby. He glanced back at Tifa nervously and found that he couldn’t read what her expression was. That unnerved him greatly. Facing forward again, he slowly and cautiously removed his turtleneck. The fibers stuck to his still fresh wounds, making him hiss in pain as he pulled it over his head. He threw it onto the same crate as his harness and belt before sitting back down. His face felt hot and he prayed Tifa would stay behind him, as to not see how embarrassed he was. 

Cloud swallowed. He could feel her staring at his back and he subconsciously tightened the grip he had on his knees. “I’m going to touch your back.” She said suddenly. There was a pause, as she waited for him to protest. He just nodded and braced himself.

The next thing he felt was at first immensely painful, more painful than the injuries he had already sustained, but gave way to an intense and satisfying numbness. Tifa- who had at some point removed her gloves- was gently and slowly rubbing her hands down his back and god it felt _amazing_. Like little lightning bolts, but instead of burning, the jolts sent white-hot passion down his spine. He involuntarily rolled his shoulders and leaned back into Tifa’s palms. She gasped quietly at this, making Cloud grin. He exhaled the breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding when he spoke. “What are you doing?”

Tifa moved her hands slowly and methodically over the places where it hurt the most, pausing occasionally. When she did this, the fantastic feeling would just build and build and spread out from where it was building until she began to move again. It was _fantastic_ . He had never felt anything so amazing and good lord, he never wanted this feeling to end. Several times, she touched a spot _just_ right and he had to bite his tongue to stop from moaning in delight.

“I’m casting Cura in a pinpointed concentration,” she explained, “it’s better suited for deeper wounds.” That explained the slightly warm feeling, then. He was used to healing magic feeling like a warm hug when it was cast in the heat of combat, but he had no idea it could be cast in such a concentrated way. 

“Where’d you learn to do this?” He asked, rolling his shoulder again to make Tifa shift to a particular spot on his back. When she hit it, he had to stifle a groan of pleasure. He couldn’t get over how good her touch felt. It was pure ecstasy. 

The smile of Tifa’s face was apparent when she spoke. “You learn how to do a lot of things when you live in the slums.” There was a moment’s pause. “I’m moving onto your side and arms now.”

“Go ahead.” Cloud breathed. _Just don’t stop. God, please don’t stop._ He glanced down as he felt her rub his side. The soft green glow of Cura enveloped her hand. He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling, not looking at anything in particular. The noise of the fluorescent light fixtures buzzed in his ears. He wondered if Tifa could hear it too.

She traced her hands up his side, over his shoulders, and down his arms. Tifa’s hands were so extraordinarily soft, like how he imagined clouds would feel like. For such a powerful fighter, her femininity shined through in the gentle way she cared for him. A person who could kick ass when needed to but also provide a kind, nurturing touch. When had the girl he had known in Nibelheim become such an amazing woman?

He was so far into his own little world, that he hadn’t even registered the warm feeling of the healing magic fading away. He only realized it after he noticed Tifa gliding her hands back down his side as she slowly wrapped her arms around his waist. Her hands interlocked with each other and she rested them against his stomach. Cloud’s entire body tensed as she leaned into him, resting her forehead against the small of his back. 

It was the closest the pair had ever been.

Together, they stayed like this in silence for what felt like an eternity. Cloud was afraid to move. Afraid of sending any sort of signal to imply he didn’t want this because he _absolutely_ wanted this. And he didn’t want it to end because he did something stupid.

“Your wounds were really bad.” Tifa’s voice was small. Scared. “If you weren’t a SOLDIER I don’t think… You wouldn’t have...”

“But I am a SOLDIER.” Ex-SOLDIER, but semantics didn’t matter right now.

A pause. “If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be here.” Her grip on his stomach tightened. “I can’t lose you too.”

_Too_. Tifa had lost so much already. Her mom, her dad. Her hometown. 

“I’ll be more careful next time.” Carefully, oh so carefully, Cloud moved a gloved hand and placed it over one of Tifa’s. He squeezed, causing her to flinch slightly. “I promise.”

A new sensation rocked his body as Tifa gently placed her lips between his shoulder blades. The kiss was soft and fleeting. So gentle, a normal person probably wouldn’t have even noticed it. But Cloud Strife was not a normal person. His senses were heightened to the point of being a one man army and even if the woman behind him didn’t know to what extent, she knew for sure he could feel it. 

Her hands pushed back against Cloud’s and he let go. His mind started to go back to forbidden places as her hands started to crawl up his torso, coming to a rest right below his chest. Blood was rushing to his head- and with embarrassment, he noticed blood rushing to another part of his body as well.

Tifa pressed her face up against the back of his neck and placed another kiss, this time harder and with more confidence. Her fingers curled as she gently clawed at his skin. The slight pressure felt like pure joy. She pulled him closer to her and his hot face grew hotter when he felt her breasts press against his back. “Tifa,” he managed to choke, ”what are-”

“Marlene asked me a strange question today,” She cut him off. Cloud’s heart skipped a beat. “I… I think you know what she asked, don’t you Cloud?” Finding himself unable to speak, he just nodded. God dammit, of course Marlene asked her too. He could practically hear the little girl’s voice:

_“Is Cloud in love with you?”_

He could feel Tifa’s breath on his back. It was driving him insane. He felt her grip on him loosen as she stood up and walked in front of him. To Cloud’s surprise, she stepped forward and sat on his lap, straddling his legs. She was doing that thing he loved-biting her lower lip as she gazed into his eyes. Delicately, she raised a hand to his face and swiped a loose lock of hair from his face.

He could see small freckles across her visage. Small scratches and scars he never noticed before. Her eyes betrayed her soft demeanor; they were sparkling with an intensity he only saw when they were fighting together. Determination. Confidence. A look that meant nothing would get in her way.

She pushed forward as she made herself comfortable. Cloud felt her rub against the bulge in his pants and audibly swallowed. The small amount of friction felt fantastic, but he was mortified that if he felt it, Tifa surely felt it as well. Did he want her to feel it? God, he didn’t know. 

Her hand cupped his cheek and she stared directly into mako-blue eyes. “I’ve seen the way you look at me,” she whispered, “it’s the-”

“The same way Jessie looks at me?” Cloud finished her sentence with a chuckle. He subconsciously began to stroke his fingers through her hair, wishing his gloves were off so he could feel it on his skin.

Tifa giggled softly and shook her head. “Yes, but no.” She leaned forward until there was only inches from between their faces. Cloud’s eyes were drawn to her lips. Parted just ever so slightly, they looked so inviting. “You look at me the same way I look at you.” Tifa’s cheeks blushed a soft pink as she spoke, but she didn’t break eye contact as she leaned forward further.

Her lips were soft. The diluted smell of the bar wafted into Cloud’s nose as she kissed him. It was a wonderful smell, so distinctly Tifa. He wanted nothing more but for her to wrap her arms around his neck, to pull him closer and to never let go, but by the time he began kissing her back she had pulled her head back. The kiss was so short it was heartbreaking- it was more of a peck than anything. But it was the best thing Cloud had ever felt. 

The intensity in Tifa’s eyes wavered for just a moment as she broke eye contact. She shifted in his lap, causing friction on his groin again. She for sure felt it this time, no question about it. Had she moved like that on purpose?

Something finally clicked in Cloud’s head. Dear lord, this was actually happening. 

He lifted a hand and placed it on her cheek, gently turning her head back towards him. Nervously, he leaned forward and initiated their second kiss. His heart skipped when Tifa actively kissed him back. Still unsure what he was doing, he was the one to break off this time. It was short, longer than the last one but still painfully short. Despite the tameness of their kiss, they were both nearly panting when their lips parted. 

Immediately, Cloud needed reassurance that this was okay. He put his hand on the back of her head, pushing hers forward so their foreheads were touching. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked, his voice nothing more than a low grumble. 

She nodded, eyes shining. Her response was barely more than a breath. “Yes.”

Hungrily, Cloud lunged forward. Their third kiss was much more confident than the previous two. Cloud’s arms wrapped around Tifa, pulling her closer to him. He barely registered her doing the same to him. Lips still locked together, they opened slightly. Awkwardly, their teeth clanged together but neither seemed to care, so long as they were together. The mercenary moaned as he felt Tifa enter his mouth, rubbing her tongue against his. She tasted sweet and fruity. Deliciously perfect. He wanted more. He pressed into her harder, entering her. The sound of her low, pleasure-filled groan nearly drove him crazy.

For how long they stayed together, exchanging tongues, biting lips, only breaking apart for the briefest of moments to gasp for air, neither knew. But for however long it was, it felt like the world had stood still and that they were the only ones in it. 

As all good things do, their kiss eventually came to an end. They just stared at each other, breathing heavier than before. Cloud’s hand cupped the barmaid’s cheek, his thumb resting at the edge of her mouth. He couldn’t help but grin. “I thought you said not to get any ideas.” He chided her, sarcasm lining his voice.

Tifa rested her hand over his and gently pulled it down. “I was telling that more to myself than you.” She admitted with a laugh. “So much for that.”

She shouted in surprise as Cloud suddenly shifted, standing and picking her up in one fell swoop. He held her bridal style, like some sort of princess in a fairy tale about to be whisked away by a knight on a white chocobo. The action took little effort on Cloud’s part as Tifa, despite being physically built, was incredibly light. 

“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t stick to your guns.” He hummed as he walked her over to the bed. It was small, only meant for a single person, but it was better than the ground. It was really their only choice.

Cloud’s feet seemingly moved on their own, but he was extremely conscious of what he was doing. In fact, for someone who had absolutely zero sexual experience aside from a visit to the Honey Bee Inn that didn’t amount to anything when he was a new recruit, he felt strangely confident about his actions. At least, that’s what he displayed outwardly.

Inwardly, his heart raced to the point where he was sure Tifa could hear it. His face was hot, his hands were shaking and his legs felt like jelly during what seemed like the mile long walk to the bed. _Dear lord_ , he thought as he sat down on the foot of the bed, placing Tifa on his lap so her legs hung over the side of his. _What the fuck am I doing?_

She leaned her head against his chest. Her hair tickled in the best possible way as she began to fiddle with his gloves. “Tifa,” he whispered, “we can stop.” Did he want to stop? Hell no. Was she displaying that she wanted to stop? Not as far as he could tell. But he was still in utter disbelief that he was in this situation with _Tifa Lockhart_. 

“I don’t want to.” She answered, the smile on her face audible. Pulling his gloves off his hands and tossing them to the side, she intertwined her fingers with his and looked up at him. Her face wasn’t full of lust. It was full of adoration. Of love.

_Holy shit, does she love me?_ He wouldn’t dare speak those words aloud. Not now. Maybe not ever.

“What about the other neighborhood watch members?” _Shut up idiot, don’t give her a reason to stop._ “What if someone walks in on us?” 

She shook her head. “Barret and the others are out scouting Sector 3 for our next mission. The other members of the watch don’t do anything dangerous enough for them to ever need to come in here.”

“But what if they do?” _Stop talking already, you’re gonna ruin this for yourself and her!_

Sighing, Tifa turned around in his lap and, using just one hand, pushed him down flat. His head was just shy of the pillow and his legs still dangled over the end. His eyes widened as she crawled over him, coming to a stop and sitting on his midsection. She placed her hands on his pectorals, sending another jolt of ecstasy through him “If you want to stop, just say so.” She bit her lip and looked away for a second, before looking back at his mako speckled eyes. When she spoke again, it was unsure and quiet. “You don’t want to stop, right?”

Eyes still wide in surprise over her sudden movement, Cloud spoke the only coherent thing he could think of. “God, no.” 

“Then shut up and kiss me again.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before she leaned over. He whimpered as their lips connected again, but only due to how unexpected it was. He immediately began kissing her back, wrapping his arms around her torso to pull her in as close as possible. 

As they kissed, Cloud’s hands began to wander her body. Carefully, as he was still unsure of himself and this situation despite the constant reassurance, he slipped his hands under her tank top. Disappointingly, but not surprising him, he felt another piece of fabric between him and her skin. 

Tifa pulled her head back and gasped quietly as Cloud gripped her shirt and began to pull it off her body. _She’s going to stop you now. There’s no way she’s gonna let you do this._ The negative thoughts continued to gnaw at the back of his head like a dull headache but he was determined to ignore them.

He was here. With Tifa. And Tifa wanted him the exact same way he wanted her. 

Her suspenders fell off her shoulders as she kicked off her skirt. The movement gave Cloud an opportunity to scoot himself further up the bed, so he was no longer dangling off of it. At the same time, he kicked his boots off to the floor. He noticed that Tifa had done the same at some point. 

“Wow.” Was all he could say. Here he was, underneath Tifa fucking Lockhart while all she was wearing was a sports bra, panties and thigh highs. Most of the men in the slums would kill for this view. To be in his position. Nervously, he reached up to the zipper on the front of her bra, but was stopped by Tifa’s hand. 

She wrapped her fingers around his and chuckled. “Cloud, your hand is shaking.”

“I’m nervous.” He stuttered. 

“I thought SOLDIERs didn’t get nervous.” She stuck her tongue out at him as she teased, but Cloud’s enhanced hearing allowed him to hear just how fast her heart was beating. She was just as nervous as he was. 

She guided Cloud’s hand to her breasts, hovering her hand over his as he gripped the zipper of her sports bra. With a nervous glance of affirmation between the two, he began to pull the small metal tab down. To his frustration, the zipper got caught in the fabric at the very end, and Tifa intervened and dislodged it with a cute, nervous giggle after Cloud had fought a losing battle with it. Face as red as her eyes, she shrugged the black bra off and threw it to the ground. 

On instinct, she crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Please,” Cloud told her as he strummed his thumb down her cheek, “you can trust me.”

Nodding, Tifa slowly lowered her arms and revealed herself to him. Cloud could tell she was struggling to maintain eye contact. Her lip was quivering. She was suddenly uncomfortable. Had they gone too far?

Cloud sat himself up on his elbow. “We can stop right now.” He told her. 

She shook her head no. “No,” she whispered, once again grabbing his hand, “stop asking me if I want to stop.” She squeezed him and her gaze became steady. “I want this more than you can imagine.”

“Okay,” he couldn’t help but smile as he laid back down.

She took a deep breath and guided his hand back up to her chest, hovering over her nipple before pressing his palm into her. She panted slightly as Cloud rubbed one hand, then two over her breasts. He moved slowly, exploring their entire surface. Over, the sides and under. He jiggled and squeezed them gently, allowing the weight of her to fall into his palms. He relished in the small, embarrassed noises she made. 

“Do you like them?” Tifa’s quiet question dragged him back into the real world. 

“They’re so-“

“-big?” She couldn’t help but laugh and roll her eyes. She jiggled as giggles filled Cloud’s ears.

“No.” Cloud smiled as he squeezed her again, this time harder than before. She squeaked when he did. “Soft. They’re really soft.” Softer than even the softest down of a chocobo chick. He worried that his combat-hardened hands would hurt her, but the look in her eyes silently pleaded for him to continue. 

His hands glided over her skin before reaching her tips. He circled them with his fingers for a few seconds before, without warning, he pinched both her nipples. The action made her jump and she squealed his name. It was music to his ears.

She landed right on his erection, causing him to groan and bite his lip. But still, he pinched them again and pulled, urging her to come closer. 

He took her into his mouth, tracing her nipple with his tongue. Tifa moaned, no longer trying to contain her sounds, as he gently sucked. She wrapped his arms around his head to steady herself and he began to run his hands down her back. Gently, as to not hurt her, he ran his teeth over her before letting go and switching his attention to her other breast. 

Subconsciously, Cloud raised his hips as Tifa began to grind up against him. His pants suddenly felt hot and heavy and good god he needed to get them off. He could feel her dampness through his clothes and knowing she was just as turned on as he was making him even more excited. 

“Hey Cloud,” Tifa saying his name made him detach from her breast. She sat up, looking at his chest quizzically. Her eyes were full of worry, and… slight recognition, Cloud realized a bit confused, as they kept glancing from his eyes to his chest. “What’s this scar from?” Why was she worried about this one particular scar? He was covered in them. 

“Huh?” 

She brought her hand up to her chest, tracing a diagonal line across it. “It just… it reminds me of mi-”

Out of nowhere, the headache came back. He grunted in pain and gritted his teeth as Tifa’s voice faded from his ears.

_“Don’t push it.”_

_The pain of being impaled._

_The feeling of cold, sharp metal against his hands._

“Cloud?” Tifa’s voice made him refocus. To his shock, there was a deep scar across her chest that hadn’t been there before- in the exact place she had drawn with her hand. Or was there? He blinked and it was gone. “Cloud!” She repeated his name. 

_Tifa. I need to protect Tifa._ Without thinking, he pulled her into him and dived into a deep kiss. For a brief moment, she resisted but then almost immediately sank into him. They broke apart and the fear in her eyes killed him. He held her close. “I’m okay.” He whispered it into Tifa’s ear over and over again until he felt her relax. “Don’t worry about me.” He pleaded with her. 

“But-“

“Please. I don’t want this to end yet.”

There was still concern lining her face and before she could open her mouth to protest, Cloud pulled her forward to rest her ear over his heart. He was no longer ashamed of how fast it was beating, how nervous he was, how her touch made his toes curl and gave him goosebumps. These emotions made him human, not some mindless grunt for company or a soldier reporting to a commander. He was here, right now. Headaches be damned.

He held her head in place and a still silence filled the room as she laid there listening to his breaths, listening to his heart. Her lips were parted very slightly and soft whispers of breath caressed his chest as she intently listened. Finally, after enough time had passed, Cloud placed a hand under her chin and lifted her head, making her ruby eyes stare into his sapphires. Simply, softly, hopefully he asked, “I’m fine. You trust me right?”

He could have swore he saw tears well up in her eyes before she blinked them away. She sat up and leaned her head towards him. Their noses touched before their lips met. It wasn’t deep, it wasn’t passionate. It was simple and affirmative that yes, she did trust him. “With my life.” She finally responded.

Worried that his episode had ruined the mood, he was incredibly pleased when Tifa sat back and purposefully planted her arousal on his. They both hissed at the sensation and Cloud instinctively reached up and grasped her hips, as if to stop her from leaving from the spot. Cheeks turning a rose-colored tint, she began to gyrate her hips causing friction between the two of them. The mercenary embarrassingly realized he could be brought to finish by just this motion, it felt- and looked, with Tifa’s figure on top of him curvy and chest flushed- so good.

A frown found its way to his lips when she suddenly stopped. She looked away and bit her knuckle as if deciding something before turning back to him. “This is great and all,” she started, voice feigning confidence and authority, “but I think we both want more.” It was difficult to not snicker at the show she was putting on. Of course, a normal person wouldn’t have been able to hear the slight waver that lined her voice, but he did. But even if it was just an act, he realized he absolutely wanted Tifa to be in control.

He nodded and grunted in confirmation, ready to get his suddenly heavy and constricting pants off of him. And yet, he felt his breath hitch when Tifa’s look suddenly went from nervous and shy to sensual and sexy. Eyes half-lidded, she lowered her upper body so she was perpendicular to his chest and wrapped her fingers around the hem of his pants- _and_ his underwear. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, she began to pull down, revealing more and more of his skin. He swallowed as his cock got closer to making its grand entrance and he suddenly got light-headed and felt heat rise to his cheeks. And yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her and her eyes lit up when she finally saw and _oh god she licked her lips_. She pulled his pants down to his ankles and kicked them off the bed to the floor.

Cloud was suddenly overcome with the realization that he was bare naked in front of Tifa Lockhart. She was between his legs, almost buck naked herself, staring at him hungrily. Staring at him in a way he had fantasized about more times than he would like to admit in his lonely room at Stargazer Heights. 

He flinched as she raised her hand in anticipation of the sensation that would immediately follow. She had barely set her fingers on his cock’s head, but the immediate sensation of white fire shot through him, ricocheting into his very core. He arched his back and white knuckles gripped the bed sheets as a loud and low, visceral moan escaped his lips. Through the stars in his vision, he saw Tifa freeze. He was worried she would stop again, afraid that she hurt him, but instead he saw a sly smile across her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“Boy, you sure are sensitive.” She mused idly, a dark sense of playfulness evident in her voice.

“It’s the mako,” Cloud managed to huff as the sensation of pleasure was still fading from his body, “it increased the sensitivity of my senses.” He was worried about the way Tifa asked that. She was _very_ well aware of how being showered in mako made him different from the average person. And the very moment the thought crossed his mind, he realized what she was doing.

“So then, how does _this_ feel.” The words flowed from her tongue as she squeezed his erection. Hard. For the briefest of seconds, Cloud only felt searing, horrible pain. But it went away and was replaced by a feeling of electricity and fire and numbness that enveloped his entire body. This one single action, the feeling of her battle-hardened hand around his vulnerability, was enough to make tears fall from his eyes. He brought his arm up to his face and covered them with the crook of it as he let the sensation ebb and flow through him. He sobbed out her name as she squeezed it again. 

“Please,” he whimpered, removing his arm to look at her. “Please god, Tifa.” He couldn’t even imagine how pathetic he looked, being completely at her mercy.

She stuck her tongue out and tapped the head of his erection with its tip, causing Cloud to writhe and cry. “Please, what?” She goaded him. Oh, now she was just being mean.

“ _M-more!”_ Was all he could manage to stutter out. His mind was too hazy to think of anything else, let alone speak more than one word at a time. All he could do was pray that Tifa understood and, most of all, gave him what he wanted.

And when he felt the warm, comforting wetness of her mouth envelope him it took all he could to not scream in bliss. Everything up until now had been a warm-up. He had known, always known really, that sexual interactions would be explosively overwhelming for him. But he had no way of knowing to what extent. It was beyond comprehension and even if he was still in SOLDIER, he doubted anyone he knew could have properly prepared him for how he was feeling at this very moment with Tifa’s mouth around his dick.

_“Fuck_ , Tifa.” He winced as he said the word. It was inherently dirty and a word he actively tried to avoid using around her. He detested when _anyone_ used that word around her. But as she raised and lowered her head, her hand guiding her lips up and down his shaft, it was the only word that could accurately describe how he was feeling. 

Her pace was painfully slow, then blistering fast and then back to a crawl before speeding up again. The way she would tighten and loosen her grip at _just_ the right time would make him cry and moan and yell. She would occasionally run a tantalizing finger over his balls in a way that felt so good it almost hurt. Although she was completely fixated on him, she would stop and glance up at Cloud’s desperate face, hungry and gleaming in delight. It was _incredibly_ sexy.

It was the particular way her lips suctioned around him that caused him to sit up. He loomed over her for just a second before placing his hand on her head and pushing her face downward, causing her to take his full length. The sudden sensation of being wholly inside her mouth, completely surrounded by the warm wetness caused him to growl in delight. Again, tears streamed down his face, but not out of pain or sorrow. She whimpered in surprise, but gave Cloud a glance that said yes, this was fine. He loosened his grip, allowing Tifa to raise her head and get a much-needed gasp of air before wrapping her lips around him again.

They fell into a rhythm. He would put his hand on her head, guiding her in speed and ferocity, occasionally pushing her down to deep throat him. She was _amazing_ at this, Cloud realized. And yet, through the throws of his passion, the thought also worried him. If she was so good at this, did that mean she had done this before?

The thought had barely crossed his mind before it was overtaken by his limit breaking. The sound he made was feral, almost inhuman as his vision went white. He clawed for Tifa’s hair, desperate for her to catch his seed in his mouth but found himself grasping at nothing but air. She gasped as he came and it took a few seconds for him to realize in horror that he had come all over her face.

“Oh my god Tifa, I’m so sorry.” 

And yet, she had a pleased smile on her face and he realized she _wanted_ this. She licked the side of her lips, taking some of his seed into heris mouth and swallowing. Then, she took a finger and ran it over some of the drip and placed it between her lips, sucking it in a way that had to have been on purpose. That sight alone was enough for him to harden once again.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Her voice was light, one of absolute joy. She took the edge of the blanket on the bed and wiped her face of Cloud’s liquid love.

Thinking they were done, although wishing for more, Cloud started to rise but was met by Tifa’s firm palm pushing him back down. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“We’re not done?” Cloud raised his brows in surprise, but was happy that she stopped him. Of course, he wanted more, but he didn’t want to come off as greedy or selfish. As Tifa crawled back over him and placed kisses along his jawline, he realized his desires were far from being selfish. 

She swiped a hand across his lips, and to his shock, her fingers were wet and sticky. For a brief moment he wondered if it was a leftover from his orgasm until it hit him that, no, it wasn’t left from his arousal. It was _hers._ She had been touching herself while sucking him off. He gingerly grabbed her wrist and brought it to his mouth, delicately sucking on her fingers. Tifa’s face burned a deep crimson as Cloud smiled at her taste. It was delicious, and he made sure to make a show of it all, gliding his tongue between each finger.

Eventually, she pulled her hand away and shook his saliva off of it. Side eyeing him, he would have thought she was upset if not for the twinkle in her eye. “You’re so weird.”

Chuckling, Cloud pulled her forward and kissed her. “It’s your fault for tasting so good.”

The dark red returned to her face as she yelled his name in embarrassment. Grabbing a pillow, she threw it at his face, hitting her mark dead center. For the first time in god knows how long, Cloud laughed a genuine, wide smiled laugh that resonated through his entire body. Overcome with mirth, he removed the pillow from his face and kissed the woman on top of him again. He honestly could not remember the last time he had been this happy. He held Tifa’s face against his neck as he laughed, reveling in the feeling of her skin against his, her hair tickling his face, her lips placing fluttering kisses across his neck.

“What’s gotten into you?” She laughed. He remembered her saying he was losing his hard edge. Maybe she was right.

Cloud laughed still as he smelled her hair. It smelled of sweat, of passion, of honey and vanilla and alcohol. It smelled of faint memories of home, of new memories being formed in the heart of the slums. 

“I’m just happy.” He sighed.

The smile that lit her face was so wide and beautiful, even her eyes smiled. “That’s not something I had ever thought I’d hear Cloud Strife say.” She ran her hand down his cheek and Cloud took her hand in his. 

“It’s… hard to not be happy when I’m around you.” He admitted, averting her eyes. He was sure he was red as a tomato, but the words just spilled out. It was the honest truth, something he had felt since he entered Midgar. Tifa had this energy about her. Something pure and beautiful that radiated off of her. He always felt warm and soft when they were together. It was something he had never experienced with anyone else but her.

“Cloud…” Her face and voice was one of genuine shock. But before she could say another word, he kissed her again. This kiss was hungry and lustful. Immediately he stuck his tongue into her mouth, swiping it along her lips and teeth. Their tongues twisted around each other as they moaned and whimpered into each other. 

Mid-kiss, Cloud realized he could reach her panties. He ran a thumb over the front of them, feeling how wet she was through the fabric. The friction caused Tifa to break the kiss and shiver. Wordlessly, they exchanged glances of affirmation. Although he couldn’t pull them off from his position underneath her, he pulled the light blue underwear down as far as he could before she took over. Having removed them, she tossed the article to the ground.

Cloud was staring at the newly exposed skin when he realized Tifa was beginning to take off her thigh highs as well. Without even thinking, he blurted out “Wait, you can keep those on,” causing her to giggle and give him a look.

“Oh?” She teased him.

Realizing what he had said, he knew he had to come clean. “I like how they look on you.” He murmured, absolutely mortified that he was admitting this to Tifa. But it was true. The way her black thigh highs fit to the curve of her legs and amplified their shape and muscle tone drove him absolutely _crazy_. There was no way in hell he’d let her take them off.

She laughed and nodded in agreement, thankfully not pushing the subject. And suddenly, as if sharing a thought, their faces burned hot as they realized they were both completely naked. The two were letting their eyes wander and Cloud was astutely aware of the moist feeling coming from where Tifa was sitting.

They exchanged one more nervous look before she scooted down his abdomen. She glanced at his cock and back at his face. He was trying to maintain a poker face, but he knew he was failing at it miserably. He needed her. He craved how she felt, how wet and warm and tight she would be around him.

So, he was surprised and disappointed when she suddenly climbed off the bed and walked towards the sink and cabinets in the back. Through his mild dismay, he found himself mesmerized by the way her ass swayed with her hips as she walked and subconsciously began playing with his dick as he watched. Her nude figure almost made the notion that they were stopping worth it. Almost.

But then she turned around, a small plastic square in between her fingers. Cloud raised a brow as she walked back over and climbed on top of him once again. She opened the condom, only then seeing the question lining his face.

“We do sex education classes in here sometimes.” She winked as she removed the rubber from its packaging. “The neighborhood watch keeps the community safe in every sense of the word.”

“Right.” Cloud grunted as he felt the condom press against his skin. On the bright side, it would probably lessen the overwhelming feeling of joy he’d probably feel. That _was_ a good thing, right?

His heart raced as Tifa positioned herself and he almost found himself once again asking if this was okay, if she wanted to do this. But the look of desperation and want on her face made him realize that she wanted to do this exactly as much as him. He grabbed her breasts once again, running his hands over them, down her arms, her sides, down her thighs before coming back up and resting them on her hips. She smiled at him one more time. 

Yeah, this was okay.

The sensation that overcame him as he guided her down onto him was indescribable. Hot and cold, pain and pleasure, love and hate, black and white. His vision went white and although he couldn’t hear it, he knew he screamed. It was as if his very being left his body in that instant and returned the next. His hands gripped the sheets and his toes curled as he struggled to take control of his breathing.

“Cloud!?” Tifa’s concerned voice broke through to him. He lifted his head and saw her. Felt her around him. Felt her hands holding his face. 

He exhaled, finally able to breathe somewhat normally again. “I’m fine. It’s okay just-”

“Sensitive, right?” Tifa finished his thought, moving slightly. She yelped and it was the most beautiful noise in the world.

With a grunt, Cloud thrust his hips upwards, making her cry out again. She tightened around him, causing another bolt of electricity to make him lose coherence again. Following Cloud’s movements, Tifa slid up and back down on his shaft. She placed a hand on her breast and another traveled downward as her speed increased.

Every single time she moved, the pressure in Cloud’s stomach rose. He would lose vision or he would see stars. He would feel ready to cry only to be overtaken by immense joy. If this was what it felt like with a condom on, he couldn’t even begin to imagine how it felt without it.

Less important than he felt- even if there was no word to describe the immense pleasure he was feeling- was how she _looked_. Her face pink, sweat rolling off her body as they synced their movements up. Breasts bouncing in a way that Cloud could have never imagined in his wildest dreams and messy hair barely being held together by her hair tie. The sounds of her moans, the way her head tilted and back arched. The way she called his name and touched her clit in time to their rhythm. It was perfect.

Their speed increased and Cloud reached his hands forward. One grasped her waist and the other moved her hand from that secret pleasure nucleus and took over for her. He began to focus so much on rubbing her, poking and pinching the little nub that his movements slowed to a near halt. The noises she made at every little sensation he sent through her body were unbelievably sexy. Screw what he felt, he knew that sex was always going to be amazing for him no matter what, how _Tifa_ felt was more important. 

To compensate for Cloud slowing down, Tifa began to move faster and placed her hands on his chest for support. The sensation of her nails digging into his skin, as desperate and hungry as her face, was invigorating. 

“ _Cloud!_ ” She called him. She was close and tighter than ever around him.

“Not yet.” He growled. He stopped toying with her clit and gave her hips a death grip, desperate for them to finish together. In his desperation, he pulled Tifa to the side and rolled her over, effectively swapping their positions. His new view of her was breathtaking, but he barely had time to register it before she lifted the bottom half of her torso and wrapped her thighs around her. Through her moans and mewls of pleasure, she begged him to go harder, faster and more, more, _more!_

Primal, animalistic urges took over Cloud as he focused on the ferocity and speed of his thrusts. She was so tight around him, so wet and so hot that when he felt her pussy clench around him one more time he knew she was done. He moved his hips a final few times as Tifa shuddered and yelled from her orgasm. Cloud’s final moans as he came mixed with hers, creating a chorus of passion. 

_I love you._ The words came to Cloud’s mine as he arched over Tifa, her thighs still wrapped around him. She was panting, sweat dripping down her red face. Smiling, she lifted a hand and ran it down his cheek, sending one more shiver down his spine. _I love you, I love you, I love you._ The phrase repeated in his mind over and over again as he brought his lips to hers, melting into her as she wrapped her arms around him. She ran his hands over his back, each touch being a tiny bolt of electricity. Their lips separated and he found himself lost in her eyes, unwilling and unable to look away. _I love you so much_ , the words were jumbled around in his brain.

Yet, as he rolled from on top of her and pulled her flush to his chest he couldn’t say it. They were at the tip of his tongue and he knew them to be true but as he gazed at Tifa, smiling, beautiful, perfect Tifa, words escaped him.

She sighed happily against him and began to trace her fingers through the tufts of hair on the back of his neck. They held each other, listening to each other breathe and enjoying the feeling of their skin touching. They were hot and sticky with sweat, but at the moment it was perfect. 

“Thank you, Cloud.” Tifa finally broke the silence.

He gently kissed the top of her head. “For what?”

“Just… everything.” She paused for a second and laughed quietly. “It was good.”

That was unexpected. “You were amazing.” He complimented her back. Thinking back to how good she was when her mouth was wrapped around him, he felt the desire to know the truth. “You had… never done this before, right?”

“No.” Her response was immediate, with no hesitation or thought. It was almost as if she had anticipated the question. The simple nature of her response had Cloud sigh in relief. He wasn’t sure what answer he was expecting, nor why he cared because she was her own woman, but knowing that he was her first as comforting. He squeezed her tighter up against him.

“Good.” He hummed.

“And you?” She asked.

Of course, it was only fair for her to ask him. “No, you’re my first.” _And my only, if I have anything to say about it._

“Good.” Tifa mimicked his response. 

Silence fell between them again, neither of them willing to break their embrace. Tifa brought her hand from the back of his head and placed her palm over his heart. “You know,” she started shyly, “we could… do this again. If you want.”

“Hm?” Cloud felt a smile crawl across his face. He looked down at her, and she met his gaze. 

“I like…” she bit her bottom lip, looking for the right words to use. “I like being with you. Like this. It’s hard not being happy when you’re around.”

“I make you happy?” He purposefully ignored the most important part of her statement in order to tease her. Talking to her naturally, like friends or maybe more, was suddenly easier than it ever had been. 

She laughed into his pecs and he felt it rumble through him. “Of course you make me happy.”

“In that case,” he let go of her and rolled onto his back. The twin size bed was cramped and wasn’t very comfortable, but it was perfect. “Then I wouldn’t be opposed to doing this again.” He lifted an arm, inviting Tifa to rest her head against him which she happily obliged. She wrapped her legs around his thighs and he lowered his arm onto her shoulder. 

Tifa idly rubbed his chest. “We’ll have to do it somewhere else then.” Her voice had a teasing edge to it, but Cloud could tell she was serious. 

“Sounds like you already have some ideas.” He prodded her into giving the details, curious to what she was thinking. 

“Well…” Her voice trailed for a second and he thought she was going to leave him hanging. “I have this… I guess you could call it a fantasy.” Cloud didn’t say anything, listening to her intently. “I’m in Seventh Heaven, it’s after hours. A handsome, blond stranger seduces me and takes me right there against the bar.”

He closed his eyes and the picture of railing her against the bar table, passionately and furiously, instantly entered his mind’s eye. Her clothes torn off her body, begging and calling for him. He smirked, instantly turned on by the idea. “I think I can arrange that.” She kissed his chest in acknowledgement. 

He was about to voice his suggestion- the idea of shower sex had always been appealing- when a pop song suddenly erupted from the floor, ruining the mood. Tifa sat up, recognizing it as her ringtone. Cloud groaned because it wasn’t _just_ a ringtone- it was Jessie’s ringtone. 

Their time together was over.

Tifa walked over to her skirt and bent down, picking up her phone. She cast Cloud a look that said “I’m sorry” before flipping it open. She exchanged some words with Jessie and in the interim, Cloud stood up and began to dress himself. 

“The gang is back from Sector 3,” Tifa explained when she hung up. “They want to debrief me in 45 minutes.” An air of sadness painted her voice as she grabbed her panties and pulled them up. She glanced back however, eyes shining, and grinned before shaking her ass at Cloud. In retaliation, he smacked it, causing her to yelp. She gave him a dirty look.

Cloud shrugged as he pulled up his pants. “Don’t play with fire if you don’t wanna get burned.”

By the time Cloud re-equipped his pauldron, Tifa was fully dressed. “You might wanna stop by your room,” he suggested, “you have a very distinct ‘I just had sex’ hairdo going on.” The words felt weird on his lips. He was still accepting that everything that just happened had actually really happened. Not only that but that she said he was good _and_ she wanted more. It was a lot to take in.

Her face flushed and she pouted. “Your hair is no better.”

He shrugged again. “My hair always looks like this though.” A thought occurred to him. “You should probably leave first. If we leave together, especially with how your hair looks, people might get ideas.” The last thing either of them needed was for rumors to spread about them. The thought about the Avalanche gang catching wind of this made his stomach churn.

“Right.” Tifa nodded and stepped towards the door. She glanced at the bed and the messy state they left it in. “I’ll have to do an extra load of laundry tonight.” She chuckled as she reached for the door handle.

Another thought occurred to Cloud and he called to her, making her pause. “Why didn’t you go with them today?” Tifa almost always went with Barret and the others on scouting missions. It hadn’t occurred to him until just now how unusual it was that she stayed behind today.

“Isn’t it obvious?” She smiled warmly at him. “I wanted to spend time with you today.” Turning towards the door, she pulled it open. The sun was starting to set, and even in the artificial light of Midgar the shadows that were cast against her were stunning. For the umpteenth time that day, Cloud was struck how beautiful she was. He began to worry that beautiful wasn’t even a worthy enough word to describe her.

They stared at each other for a few moments. _I love you, Tifa._ Every fiber of his being told him to say it. But he couldn’t bring himself to. He wasn’t sure why, but for every monster he had fought, telling Tifa Lockhart that he loved her was scarier than anything he had ever slain. 

Eventually. Not now, but eventually. 

Tifa stepped out of the infirmary into the crisp under the city air. She glanced back one more time. “See you at the bar later tonight?”

Normally, the idea of hanging out at Seventh Heaven surrounded by Avalanche and slum drunks would have never crossed his mind. But now after seeing Tifa, having _experienced_ Tifa in a way no other man had, the thought of spending a night watching her work sounded lovely. 

He nodded his head. “Of course.”

“I’ll see you then.” She blew him a kiss and closed the door behind him.

As childish as it was, Cloud reached forward, “grabbed” the kiss and brought it to his heart. He smiled, once again happier than he had been since he came to Midgar. Now that she was gone, he was finally able to whisper the words that he had wanted to say to her for so long. 

“I love you Tifa.”

The words were breathed, so soft Tifa probably wouldn’t have been able to hear them even if she was right next to him. Satisfied and feeling weightless, he strapped the Buster Sword to his back and left the infirmary, exiting into the artificial sunset. 

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutouts to my wonderful betas, Waffle, Rando and twitter user SectorSevens. You made this fic better than it was. Extra shoutout to Rando for suggesting the name because this didn't have a title until 5 minutes before posting.
> 
> Further shoutouts to Final Heaven. Seriously, if you ship Cloti join the server! It's great and is basically the only reason this fic got finished.
> 
> Final shoutouts to the Persona game soundtracks. They made writing the final couple of pages of this bearable when I was starting to feel burnt out.
> 
> To get a better idea of what it looked like when Tifa was healing Cloud, think of how Katara can waterbend to heal people. But instead of water, it's magic!


End file.
